Forewarning
by Beckers
Summary: Shortly after Hope's death Gabrielle has visions of what waits for Iolaus & Hercules in Sumeria.


The following is fan fiction, meant for entertainment and not written for profit. This fiction in no way wishes to infringe on any rights given to holders of "Xena, Warrior Princess" or "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" or any of the characters mentioned herein.   
Again, this is fan fiction and written for fun, not profit.  
  
  
FOREWARNING  
by Beckers  
  
******  
  
"Are you all right?" The dark haired woman awoke with a start, the quick movement beside her alerting keen warrior senses. She relaxed when she realized there was no danger. Her friend was sitting on the ground, looking dazed and slightly anxious. 'Typical Gabrielle.' Xena jested to herself.  
  
The blanket the bard slept in was wrapped loosely about her young Amazon-toned body, against the coolness of the early morning air. "Fine." Gabrielle said, then explained, "A bad dream."  
  
But she didn't look fine, Xena thought. Gabrielle seemed tired, reflective and a little sad.  
  
"You've been having a lot of those lately." Xena whispered, lifting a comforting hand to touch the girl's arm.   
  
A week ago the bard had a dream about taking a long, dangerous ocean voyage. An evening later there was that awful mental image: Being hit in the chest with a dagger. A few evenings after that there was a true nightmare. Gabrielle found herself wrapped head to toe in bandages, reaching out, and trying to understand what had happened to her. She was screaming a name ... ("Hercules!") but he couldn't hear her. She tried to escape her gauze prison but no one would help her -- although they all stood about, watching. Strange, dark-skinned people -- from a foreign land. Yet, there was one familiar face ... ("Hercules!").   
  
Then two days ago, the 'Mother of all Nightmares': **She was entombed alive.** Gabrielle awoke shrieking as she lay on her blanket on the damp ground. Xena came to her, attempting comfort, but it did little good. Gabrielle told The Warrior Princess that, in her vision, she pounded, pushed and scratched helplessly on the stone lid, tearing her nails and skinning her small fingers bloody. But no one was there. "I tried to tell them I'm alive. I kept crying out -" Gabrielle had said, "- but no one ... not even Hercules could hear me."  
  
'Why *Hercules*?' Xena had asked, curious.  
  
'I'm not sure.' was all Gabrielle could say, dispensing with the topic.   
  
And now last night.  
  
Xena withdrew her hand and stood, pulling a blanket up with her to fold, "What was this one about?" she asked, trying to sound casual but genuinely worried. The girl had been through so much over the past year and now, just when it seemed she was getting her head on straight again, Gabrielle was going through another Tartarus.   
  
Were the visions trying to tell her something?  
  
"The dream? Iolaus mostly."  
  
"Iolaus?" Xena half smiled, slightly relieved. "That's a first. You always tell me your dreams of a certain golden-haired hunter are pleasant." There was no secret in the fact that Gabrielle cared for Iolaus. Xena doubted there were few members of Greece's female population who, having met the hunter, didn't have wonderful stories to tell about him. As a matter of fact, Xena thought reflectively, she had a couple of good memories herself. Too bad she had been so blinded and eager for blood and power at the the time.   
  
Taking the opportunity for a stretch, The Warrior Princess looked into the woods, out at the fog as it hovered just above ground, in between the tall trees. It'd burn off soon enough, Xena thought. The sun was already warming the ground.   
  
Another day, another adventure. Evil was everywhere. People needed help. 'Heroines R Us'.  
  
"My dreams about Iolaus usually are good." - Sometimes they're so good I can't even talk about them. Gabrielle almost smiled at the unstated fact but couldn't. She was too preoccupied. "I've had some of my most entertaining nights, dreaming about Iolaus ..." Her voice faded as she continued to think of him. Lovely dreams with the hunter looking especially handsome, those wonderful eyes and that laugh she thought just too adorable for words ... Uniquely Iolaus, she'd often think.  
  
'Ode to a Hunter's Laugh' was hidden somewhere in her pouch, inspired by Iolaus.  
  
Gabrielle looked away suddenly, into space, trying to recall something, "I also dreamt of Dahak."  
  
Argo, in the distance, whinnied.  
  
Alerted, Xena stopped in mid fold and looked hard at Gabrielle. "Dahak's gone, Gabrielle. So is Hope ..." She began to fold again, wanting to forget the subject altogether. Dahak meant pain. Dahak meant horror. Dahak meant loss of life. No more Dahak! - "It will take time but you'll get over it. We both will."  
  
"You don't understand, Xena." The bard stretched and stood, "I wasn't in trouble this time. I wasn't even in the dream. It was Iolaus and Hercules ... and people in exotic lands ...." She narrowed her eyes, trying to recall the blur of movement. Hercules looking desperate and crying out ("It should have been me!") ... Iolaus fighting evil men and suddenly laying so still. She said, "They were in trouble ... I couldn't really understand it all but one vivid image I have is of Iolaus' amulet. You know, the black stone he wears around his neck? It was broken and he'd misplaced it. Or rather ..." She searched her mind, " ... he knew where it was but couldn't get to it ..."  
  
"Tragic." Xena muttered, stuffing her blanket in a saddlebag.  
  
"Yes, it was." Unsmiling, Gabrielle looked at Xena and spoke sharply. "Because Dahak was there, watching over the whole chaotic mess. I didn't see him but I felt his presence."  
  
The Warrior Princess sensed her closest friend's anger. She spoke gently - "I'm sorry, Gabrielle. I don't mean to make light of your dream but if a broken necklace is the most vivid image you have then I think you have little to worry about -- even if Dahak had something to do with it. It was just a dream."  
  
Gabrielle stared at Xena for a long moment, thinking deeply, then nodded and relaxed slightly. "You're right." She crouched to throw water then some dirt on the smoldering campfire they had laid next to during the night. "Maybe I'm just reading too much into my dreams." The Amazon bard then smiled for the first time that morning, "Iolaus and Hercules are together and just fine." Then another thought occurred to her, "If there is a problem, they'll get through it. They always do."  
  
Packed, the two woman approached Argo.  
  
Perhaps they'd meet Hercules and Iolaus on the road to Corinth. Then, they could all have a big laugh about Gabrielle's vivid imagination.  
  
In the meantime, another adventure awaited.  
  
All was... well.  
  
  
THE END  
(December 1998) 


End file.
